A Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics Trade Feels Like It Could Be Back on the Table

The Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls can help each other this week.

According to The Athletic's Jay King, the Celtics are currently looking to add to their frontcourt by Thursday's deadline. Vastly overperforming preseason expectations this year, the franchise sits third in the Eastern Conference and potentially on the verge of welcoming back Jayson Tatum sooner than expected. In other words, adding reinforcements for another Finals run has suddenly become in their best interest.

The center position has been their most obvious hole since the offseason. Front office leader Brad Stevens chose to move on from Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, choosing to take a chance on lesser-experienced players like Neemias Queta and Luka Garza. To be sure, the decision has clearly worked out just fine, as Boston is 31-18 and shockingly one of the NBA's best rebounding teams. But the reality of the playoffs is starting to settle in, and adding veteran depth rarely hurts.

King specifically noted that the Celtics have investigated whether they can flip Anfernee Simons' expiring contract and draft capital to bolster the center position. Acquiring Simons as part of the Jrue Holiday trade this past offseason, the guard is in the final year of his deal and making $27.8 million. While he has been undoubtedly effective for Boston off the bench, his contract and payday make him an obviously expendable piece.

DID SOMEBODY SAY EXPIRING CONTRACT AND DRAFT CAPITAL!?

All things considered, this latest report should trigger alarm bells inside Arturas Karnisovas' office. Recent reports have shared that the executive is eager to do business and, specifically, act as a financial hub for unwanted contracts in exchange for draft capital. He's already made this exact kind of move, taking Dario Saric from the Kings in return for two future second-round picks.

Simons' contract may be far steeper, but it also matches up somewhat nicely with that of Nikola Vucevic's deal. The Bulls would also have the benefit of adding a 26-year-old sharpshooting guard to test out alongside Josh Giddey. With both Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White potentially out the door as soon as this deadline, it might be worth evaluating Simons as you weigh your options this summer.

To be frank, even swapping Vucevic straight up for Simons might make sense for Chicago. They would at least have a younger player to assess and potentially convince to stay on a more cost-effective deal than a veteran who most expect to walk in a matter of months. Likewise, the 35-year-old Vucevic could finally end up in a competitive environment. And his latest comments sure suggest that he would embrace that!

Nevertheless, the Bulls would likely consider such a deal only if they were receiving draft capital in return. In fact, a report from recent weeks shared that Karnisovas already tried to go down that road with Boston.

Can Bulls Convince Celtics to Do Business After Previous Rebuff?

Nikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 21, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) shoots against Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

HoopsHype Michael Scotto reported in January that the Chicago Bulls contacted the Boston Celtics earlier this season about a Nikola Vucevic trade. The team apparently pitched a transaction that would send Vucevic their way for Simons' expiring deal and a first-round pick. The Celtics told them to get lost (I'm paraphrasing, of course).

While one can not blame the Bulls for aiming high, a first-round pick does feel steep for the swapping of two expiring deals. Their rationale likely centered around helping the Celtics decrease their tax bill by taking the higher salary, but this still makes a first-rounder hard to justify. So, what if the Bulls changed their tune? What if they were willing to take some more second-rounders? Based on Jay King's latest reporting, it's hard not to think the Celtics would at least mull that over.

Obviously, who else becomes available on the market matters a lot. Vucevic's deficiencies as a rim protector could surely have him lower on their list of desirable candidates. At the same time, this is a group that plays at one of the lowest PACEs in the NBA and has two wing scorers who like to feast at the rim. Both factors could make the fit of a less-explosive floor-spacing big man rather seamless.

The Bulls could also try to see if the Celtics have any interest in Jalen Smith. A far more nimble and versatile option, he has put together a career year and remains on an extremely palatable contract. He would give them a level of shooting they currently lack at the position, as well as a more mobile body on the defensive end.

The main problem here is that he wouldn't be swappable with Anfernee Simons. The Bulls could try to add Kevin Huerter or Zach Collins to make the money work, but is this going to be good enough to make Boston part with a first-rounder? Unlike the Vucevic deal, I don't see a scenario where they go below that price.

Regardless, the broader point is that Chicago has options at the position Boston is looking to fill. The two sides have also seemingly spoken relatively recently about a deal – even if it was quickly turned down. The idea that they could talk again over the next handful of hours sure doesn't feel crazy. What say you, Arturas?